Chapter 55, TU BiShvat

“T’U BiShvat Higi’a, HaHamor Hichri…”

“You better stop that Haim, or I will send you to the principal!” Frida yelled at me. “How many times are we going to go through this?”

“At least once a year,” I whispered to myself. “On T’U BiShvat.” T’U BiShvat is the holiday of the trees. It is the time to plant trees in Israel. According to the Rabbis, T’U BiShvat – the 15^th day of the month of Shvat falls at the time when it is no longer cold and not yet too hot. The best time to plant trees. When the people of Israel left Egypt, God has ordered them to plant trees all over the land of Kna’an, to convert the dessert to a fruitful land. There were many songs to help us celebrate the New Year of the Trees. One of them is the one I was singing and rudely interrupted. The only difference was - my words were different. The original song translates to “T’U BiShvat arrived the holiday of the trees.” Yet, the song I was singing translates to “T’U BiShvat arrived the donkey pooped, T’U BiShvat Passed and the donkey finished.” Please forgive my rude translation and lack of rime. No wonder the teacher got upset. 

“Our vice principal Moshe Kotler arraigned for us a new plot to plant trees this year,” continued Frida. “We will walk up to the hill next to Avihayil, once we are over the hill, we will find the plot with a lot of cans full of dirt and small pine tree plants. We don’t have enough shovels so we will have to share. Each one of you will dig a small dich, big enough to fit the plant. So, don’t dilly dally one or two digs of the shovel should be enough.” 

“When will we be leaving?” Asked Yossi. I am sure he was thinking to dich us and go home before dismissal, he lived on that hill we were about to climb.

“Right after the 10:00 o’clock recess.”

Just like the Yom HaAtzma’ut marches, we lined up in pairs. I was standing next to Sarah Markovich. I have been sharing the desk with her this year. Frida moved me to the front row next to Sarah to help me concentrate and to stop me from pulling the red braid of Vardit Bercovitz. Sarah was a skinny freckled girl, very quiet, but also very smart. She always got an “A” on every subject and the teacher thought it will help me to sit next to her.

“Did you tell her yet?” She whispered to me, we lined up 2 pairs behind the leading pair.

“Tell who? What?”

“Ya’el, I saw how you were looking at her.”

“Who? Me? I wasn’t looking at her.”

“Sure, you weren’t, you practically stalked her yesterday. Even Frida yelled at you to look at the board and not to the back of the room.”

“I was reading the new poster.”

“That poster was there from the beginning of the year.”

“Well, I didn’t see it before.”

“Because you were blinded by Ya’el who is sitting under it.” 

“I can never tell her; she is on a different league.”

“What? Because she is Ashkenazy? I am Ashkenazy, and I like you.”

“And rich. And look at me, I am the shortest skinniest in the class. You can’t. see me with a magnifying glass of a deaf watchmaker.”

 “You are funny! She does see you and hear you. Did you forget? She was the one who told Yitzhak Tov the music teacher about you.”

“What if she turns me down? It will be embarrassing. I will burry myself under the plants we are planting today.” 

“Stop talking there Haim!” Frida yelled again. “Keep in line with everyone and watch where you are walking.”

It took us about half an hour to get there and sure enough, we were in a field overlooking the “Hefer Valley”. Cans with small pine tree plants were spread around the plot. The street we just crossed had already another small forest on the west side of it. It was called “The Pine Tree Forest”. It had old burial caves in it. We were told to never venture in. “Cave Fever” we were told was the reason we should keep away; I remember visiting that forest a few years before with my “no longer favorite” teacher Leah. 

We started digging one hole at a time and planted each one of the saplings, we patted the ground and watered them from a watering can that was waiting for us. Sarah Markovich and I finished quickly and were seated on the side of the road waiting for the rest of the kids to finish so we can go back to school. We were going to be dismissed early today, Yossi didn’t have to sneak out. 

“So?” Sarah Markovich whispered.

“Stop! I am afraid to talk to her.”

“You are not afraid to talk to me.”

“This is different, you are my friend, we share the desk.”

“Oh boy!”

“Maybe some other time.”

“Sure… what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“My Mom prepared some fruit pastry, dry fruit and nuts for dinner. What about you?”

“Oh, the same.”

“See you tomorrow. T”U BiShvat Higi’a, HaHmor Hichri’a. T”U BiShvat Avar, VeHaHamor Gamar!”

“I said shut that song up!” I heard Frida yelling.

 

 

 

***

 

Sweet Quinoa Salad

 

Perfect dish for T’U BiShvat Healthy and tasty. Very easy to prepare.

 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Quinoa

2 Cups Water

2 Dry Dates

3 Dry Figs

1 Prune

2 Dry Apricots

1 Slice Sweeten Ginger (Crystalized)

4 Mint leaves

½ Cup Chopped Parsley

4 Walnuts

6 Almonds

2 TBSP Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt

4 TBSP Lemon Juice

 

Preparation:

 Wash the quinoa and sauté on dry pan to lightly crisp. Add water and ½ tsp salt, cook the quinoa (like rice – bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer) until there is no more water. Chop the nuts, dry fruit, mint parsley and ginger. Mix all with oil, ½ tsp salt and lemon juice.

 

-----